JLA/Avengers: Here lies an American Legend by Mike Grell

JLA/Avengers: Here lies an American Legend by Mike Grell.
Mike Grell Pencils and Inks "The JLA and Avengers (Superman, Thor, Green Arrow, Hawkeye, Wasp and Ironman) are morning the Death of Captain America. But in the distance comes a Stranger." The Phantom Stranger.

Shortly after my Mike Grell commission was seen on the internet an interview was done.

Questions were brought up in the interview as to why Captain America was buried and if there was any political statement intended, or if Captain America just wasn't liked.

I was just thinking, when I commissioned this it wasn't long after 911, so in some since It was a patriotic piece expressing a morning of the loss of America. But it wasn't intentional that it reflect that, no matter what I was feeling. I think it's a cool picture. One of my favorites.

To set the record straight. There was and is no political statement implied or intended. I love Captain America but I also always liked Mike Grell's cover to Justice League of America #122.

And no, it isn't because Aquaman is dead, I like Aquaman as well. I just really liked or like the cover. Since I couldn't afford to buy the original cover and I'd been collecting art with a JLA/Avengers theme, I came up with this idea. Most artist charge on a per hero basis, which I think is crazy, but anyhow. The idea was to have a recreation done of one of my favorite covers, have Captain America in the picture but not really, his shield being instantly identifiable. The Phantom Stranger was thrown in for a variety of reasons, because he's cool, seldom seen and the thought was that if he can resurrect superman in a story, then if this were a story he'd be coming to resurrect Captain America. It was just my sneaky way of having my cover recreation with the Avengers and slipping an extra in by way of Captain America's shield. Actually Aquaman was supposed to be in the picture as well, but I guess Mike just didn't have room for him. And honestly Iron Man was supposed to be the classic version from the first proposed crossover and the Wasp wasn't supposed to have wings because she full size. But Mike forgot and it was such an effort getting the commission from him at the time, not because he was putting it off but because he wasn't actively doing them I didn't really press the issue. The inks are all Mike's and the detail on it is exceptional. Especially Superman and Thor. It is one of my all time favorite commissions.